Skin Treatment Turns Man into Blue Smurf

57-year-old Paul Karason has been living with a blue face for over ten years apparently caused by Colloidal Silver, a self medicated cure-all treatment made with silver from metal.

Paul Karason really can understand the expression “feeling blue.” For more than a decade, the 57-year-old has been living with a blue face.

It was almost fourteen years ago when Karason developed a bad case of dermatitis. To treat his reddened itchy skin he began self-medicating, using a treatment called colloidal silver, which is made by extracting silver from metal.Touted by manufacturers as a cure-all for skin problems, colloidal silver usually is found in a liquid form. Looking for relief, Karason drank the concoction and rubbed it on his skin - something the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not recommend.

His skin slowly began turning blue.

The change was so gradual that I didn’t perceive it and other people around me likewise,” said Karason. “It wasn’t until a friend I hadn’t seen in several months came by my parent’s place to see me and he asked me ‘what did you do?.’”

The FDA does not consider colloidal silver safe or effective to treat any disease or condition. In fact, taking it could have serious side effects, such as:

Argyria - which is an irreversible blue-gray discoloration of your skin, nails and gums

Seizures and other neurological problems

Kidney damage

Indigestion

Headaches

Fatigue

Skin irritation

Karason, who recently moved from Oregon to Madera, Calif., said it hasn’t been easy living with blue skin.

“I do tend to avoid public places as much as I can,”

He said. Karason made the move in hopes of fitting in a little better.

“I hope that they just accept me”¦”¦ I think that will happen here. Where I was, I rather doubt it would have. This is different kind of community here.”

Karason’s girlfriend, Jackie Northrup, said she doesn’t even notice his skin color any more.

“The only time now I really think about it or notice it is if we’re out in public and people start staring,” she said.

So far, Karason hasn’t sought any medical attention for his condition. When he was asked if he’s still drinking the colloidal silver, he said yes, but much less.